Sports shoe having movable ground engaging elements

ABSTRACT

There is described a sports shoe, especially a golf shoe, having a sole on which downwardly projecting ground-engaging elements are mounted or can be mounted. It is provided according to the invention that the ground-engaging elements ( 9 ), or the means ( 10 ) provided for mounting them, are guided and held to move forward and backward along an arc, especially an arc of a circle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a sports shoe for golfers. Golf shoeshave a more or less profiled plastic sole which, with a view toimproving their grip and increasing the golfer's stability, are providedwith projecting ground-engaging elements, especially spikes, thatpenetrate more or less deeply into the turf or into the ground. Spikesmay consist of steel, or a ceramic material, and are also available asso-called soft spikes or plastic spikes. Soft spikes are prescribed onsome golf courses because they are said to cause less damage to the golfcourse than spikes made from steel or a ceramic material. Spikes mayeither be firmly anchored in the sole, or may be exchangeable. In thelater case it is common practice to provide the sole with threadedholes, for example to embed metallic threaded bushes in the sole, intowhich spikes with a matching external thread can be screwed.

2. Description of Related Art

When driving the ball, especially when teeing-off, the player's trunkand waist should ideally rotate about a stationary axis which shouldcoincide with the player's spinal column. The player should swing thegolf club in upward direction, then back and in downward direction,forwards and through the position of the ball, and should finallycontinue the swinging movement in the direction of the envisaged target,while rotating his trunk and waist, and terminate the movement in aposture in which his breast and his pelvis are turned in the directionin which the golf ball flies. At the end of the swinging movement, theplayer's posture should be such that he looks in the direction of histarget, with his breast and pelvis facing the target, while his leftfoot—if he is a right-hander—remains standing in its original direction,crosswise to the finishing line, but is clearly bent over in thedirection of the target, so that the outer edge of the user's left footpoints toward the ground and the inner edge of his left foot is liftedoff, while his right foot has been turned into the direction of histarget with the heel lifted high up from the ground. For a left-handedplayer, the roles of his left and right foot, respectively, are reversedso that the left foot is bent over and his right heel is lifted off theground. During the driving movement, the player's body is subjected toheavy torsion, which propagates from the foot to the top of his spinalcolumn and which strains his ligaments and joints. It is for this reasonthat golfers, especially players who practice their sport frequently andwho are or not so thoroughly trained and/or have already reached acertain age—this is almost the rule with golfers—frequently suffer fromstrain, overstretching, tenseness, dislocation and/or pain in the regionof their back and their legs. A golf shoe known from DE 100 30 917 A1,provided with a twisting plate with spikes on its heel portion, islikewise not capable of preventing these effects.

Now it is the object of the present invention to open up a way how tomitigate the strain and damaging effects on players' bodies that occuras a result of the unnatural swinging movements performed when drivingthe golf ball.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This object is achieved by a sports shoe having the features defined inthe claims.

While the invention will be described hereafter only with reference to aright-handed person, the explanations given apply to left-handed personscorrespondingly.

When a golfer—a right-hander—wears a conventional golf shoe his leftfoot, which has the function to provide the necessary stability duringswinging movements, cannot follow that movement because the spikes havedug into the ground or the turf. On the other hand, however, it is notpossible for the golfer to lift his left foot during the swingingmovement and to turn it into the swinging plane in the same was as hisright foot, as the player would then loose his hold under the momentumof the movement, and would fall over forwards.

The situation is absolutely different when a sports shoe according tothe invention is used: While the spikes of a sports shoe according tothe invention will likewise dig into the ground, the shoe still has thecapability to turn from the starting position about a limited angle intothe targeted direction because the spikes are guided along an arc of acircle, preferably due to the fact that the spikes are provided on oneor more movable supports that are guided and held by guide means thateither have the shape of, or guide the spikes along, an arc of a circle.Consequently, the shoe is capable of rotating correspondingly relativeto the spikes while the latter remain anchored in the ground. Theturning movement of the left shoe occurs without the golfer's stabilitybeing endangered, as the spikes of the left shoe remain stuck in theground during the turning movement provoked by the swinging movement.

The invention offers important advantages:

-   -   Torsion of the body, the waist, the knee and ankle joints during        the swinging movement is reduced. Even if the torsion angle is        reduced by a few degrees only, this already brings great relief        and alleviation to the player, as in the case of conventional        golf shoes the turning movement gets ever harder as the turning        angle increases and because the last degrees of the turning        movement are the hardest and the most straining for the body and        mark, or even exceed the upper limits of what many players can        stand. A little less torsion therefore already means that the        player's ligaments are no longer overstretched by the turning        movement and that his joints are no longer overstrained.    -   The risk of injury is greatly reduced, especially in the region        of the spinal column and in the region of the ankle and knee        joints. The risk of luxation, or even of a prolapse of a disk,        is considerably reduced.    -   The player's stability is increased in the final phase of the        swinging movement as the golfer's weight is shifted from its        outer edge to the forefoot during the turning movement of the        shoe. The forefoot is that part of the foot by which a swinging        movement can be balanced out most easily and safely.    -   Playing golf is rendered less tiring and strenuous.    -   Surprisingly, a considerable increase in precision is observed        in the driving of golf balls. Although this result is        unexpected, it is of course highly desirable as it improves the        golfer's proficiency and, thus, his joy in playing.

The spikes may be guided individually in undercut, arc-shaped grooves.Preferably, they are provided on an arc-shaped, sliding support. Inprinciple, it would be sufficient to provide the spikes on a singlesupport, conveniently in the forefoot area of the sole. If a singlesupport is provided only, then an embodiment should be preferred whichis wide enough to accommodate a plurality of spikes or otherground-engaging elements one beside the other and one behind the other.In the heel area, spikes are of advantage, but not absolutely necessaryfor purposes of the invention. Preferably, however, the heel area islikewise provided with one or two supports that coact with one or moresupports in the region of the forefoot and whose guide means have acommon center of curvature so that the foot can turn about a definedcenter of rotation. This does not, however, mean that the position ofthe centers of curvature, about which the different supports turn, maynot be spaced a little one relative to the other: It only means that thecenters of curvature may not be spaced one from the other so far thatthe shoe will loose its capability to perform a turning movement. Itmust be considered in this connection that the spikes are not fixed inthe ground immovably, the ground (especially in the case of turf) beinga little resilient.

Just as in the case of conventional golf shoes, steel spikes, ceramicspikes or soft spikes may be employed; the spikes can be firmlyconnected with the supports, or may be exchangeable. The invention isnot subject to any limitation in this respect. Instead of spikes, otherground-engaging elements may also be used, for example plasticprojections formed integrally with the support, which improve thewalking safety and stability in the same way as spikes.

Preferably, the spikes or the support can be moved forward and backwardbetween a starting position and an end position. The spikes or thesupport, and its guide means, then remain in mutual engagement over thefull length of the movement. For less demanding applications, forexample for training purposes, one can, however, do without a definedstarting position and a defined end position relative to the sole of thesports shoe. If in any such case the support should slide out of itsguide means as a result of the impetus of the swinging movement, it willthen have to be replaced in the guide means before the next swingingmovement can be performed. The fact that the support is permitted toslide off its guide means may, however, offer advantages for trainingpurposes because the spikes, dug into the ground, will in this case keepthe supports in the respective position and, thus, mark the startingposition of the feet for the next swinging movement.

In normal playing operation, it will be preferred, however, it thesupport is held in the shoe by the guide means undetachably.

If the sports shoe is designed to allow the respective support to slidea certain length out of its guide means, then a stop is preferablyprovided between the support and the guide means in order to limit thedistance by which the support is allowed to slide off its guide means.Such a stop may be realized, for example, by providing both the guidemeans and the respective support with a shoulder, which shoulders thencome to abut one against the other when the support slides off its guidemeans.

After having been displaced as a result of a swinging movement, thesupports must be moved back to their starting position. This may beeffected by the athlete turning his foot in the opposite directionbefore he lifts his foot to withdraw the spikes from the ground. A morecomfortable possibility is achieved when each guide means is equippedwith a return spring which automatically returns the support to itsstarting position. Such return spring may be configured, for example, asa helical spring or a pneumatic spring.

Preferably, the respective support is shorter than the guide means inwhich it is received. This is a precondition for the sliding capabilityof the system in cases where the guide means is closed on both ends. Incases where the guide means is open on one of its ends, that furtherdevelopment is convenient if a return spring is provided, though thatfurther development is not compulsory if a return spring is to beprovided, because the return spring might as well be accommodated insidethe support. The return spring could have one of its ends anchored onthat end of the guide means which abuts against the support in itsstarting position, while its other end could be anchored on the oppositeend of the support, in which case the entire length of the guide meanswould be available for displacement of the support.

It is preferred if the supports do not leave the guide means or the solecompletely in the course of the turning movement. Instead, they shouldremain securely held in or on their guide means, in which they areslidingly engaged, even in the bent-over position of the ankle. This ismost conveniently achieved by providing a positive fit between the guidemeans and the support, especially by giving guide means the form ofgrooves which are undercut on both sides and which are positivelyengaged by a slide of complementary shape that serves as support for thespikes. Groove-and-tongue connections, especially dovetail connections,are especially well suited.

Preferably, the supports are allowed to slide off their guide means onlyon one side, while a stop prevents them from sliding off in the otherdirection.

Preferably, a stop is used to secure the supports from slidingcompletely off the guide means or the sole. Returning the support intothe guide means or the sole may be effected by the user pushing thesupport back using his other foot. Preferably, however, a return springis provided, especially a pneumatic spring.

In the case of a shoe in which the supports are permitted to slide offthe guide means on one of its sides, it should be possible to return orpush back the supports far enough to ensure that they will not projectbeyond the lateral edge of the sole. Preferably, the supports end flushwith the lateral edge of the sole, beyond which they are allowed toslide, in their starting position.

The direction in which the supports slide during rotation of the body,is preferably different in the area of the heel as compared with thearea of the forefoot. The common center of curvature should bepositioned between the heel of the shoe and its forefoot. Preferably, itshould be located approximately at the point where the zenith of theplantar surface of the foot is found.

The supports may be made from metal or from a plastic material.Preferably, they are made from a plastic material having similarproperties as the plastic material used for the sole of the shoe. Thesupports then have a plasticity adapted to the plasticity of theremaining sole, especially as regards their flexibility. This isfavorable with respect to the walking comfort and does not impair thefunction of the support, especially if the latter is designed as a slideand if the guide means consist of a groove in the sole in which theslide is received.

If the guide means consists of a groove in the sole and the supportconsists of a slide, which is received and held in the groove, thisprovides the advantage that the invention is integrated in the sole ofthe sports shoe in such a way that its dimensional effects areparticularly small and walking feels the same as with any conventionalsports shoe. There is, however, also the possibility to providearc-shaped rails or brackets on the sole or in grooves, slots or similarrecesses in the sole, which have their ends anchored on or, preferably,in the sole, and to provide that the supports for the spikes, which mayalso have the contour of an arc of a circle, slide on those rails orbrackets.

In case grooves are selected as guide means for the swinging movement ofthe slides, such grooves may be closed on both ends. This provides theadvantage that the arrangement of the slides is well protected andsecure from crushing. There is, however, also the possibility to makethe grooves open on one of their ends so that the respective slide isallowed to move out of its groove a certain length. This offers theadvantage that the shoe is allowed to turn over a larger angle under theaction of the swinging movement than would be possible if the grooveswere closed on both ends. Depending on the configuration and arrangementof the slides, the angle may be in the range of up to 30 degrees, oreven a little more in the case of telescoping slides. But even thesmaller angles possible with grooves that are closed on both endsalready bring a considerable relief for the athlete.

According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the supportsfor the spikes are mounted on the sports shoe detachably. This allowsthe sports shoe to be selectively used with or without the equipmentaccording to the invention. For example, it is then possible to mountthe movable supports, with their spikes, on the golf show when thegolfer wishes to practice the teeing-off movement many times on thedriving range—an exercise which otherwise, if the golfer were to wear aconventional golf shoe, would heavily strain his ligaments and joints,which strain can be mitigated if the equipment according to theinvention is mounted on the sports shoe. For a tournament, however, theequipment according to the invention could be removed from the sportsshoe. Considering that the support, being guided by the guide means,moves along an arc of a circle, the axis of such movement can beconfigured as a physical axis of rotation of the support. Such aphysical axis of rotation is well suited as guide means, or as guidemeans component for the support. The support may then be mounted on thesole of the sports shoe at such physical axis of rotation, or by meansof such physical axis of rotation. For example, it is then possible toconfigure the support as a plate, which is fastened on the bottomsurface of the sole by a threaded bolt acting as such axis. The threadedbolt may be screwed into a threaded bush which is embedded in the sole,especially in the metatarsal region. Other guide means, for example inthe form an undercut groove or a bracket, may be arranged on the sole inthe area of the tip of the shoe, for receiving and guiding a forwardedge of the support, and may be arranged on the sole in the area of theheel for receiving and guiding a rear end of the support.

According to another possibility, the supports and the associated guidemeans may be arranged on a holder which latter may be detachably mountedon the sports shoe, especially on the latter's sole. The holder maycomprise for this purpose one or more clamping means, by means of whichit can be mounted on the sports shoe, for example by means of clampingjaws adapted to clamp the sole between them from the side. Anotherpossibility of mounting the holder on the sports shoe consists infastening it on the sports shoe by buckles. Still another possibility ofmounting the holder consists in providing the holder with receivingmeans on which the sports shoe can be placed and can then be firmlylocked be pressing it down in a way comparable, for example, with a skibinding, where the shoe is placed in the binding from above, is thenpressed down and thereby locked in the binding.

If the support is of the detachable type it is of advantage to arrangethe return spring so that it embraces the center point about which thesupport rotates.

A sports shoe according to the invention may be used not only forgolfing, but also for other types of sports where swinging movements areperformed and have to be balanced out, as is the case, for example, withbaseball, tennis, field hockey and football. Football shoes have studsthat offer resistance to rotating movements of the football player,which in view of the extreme use football players have to make of theirbody causes high strain to their knee joints and ankles. If the studsare mounted on the football shoes in the way proposed by this invention,so that they can move to and fro along an arc-shaped path, then strainacting on the joints is reduced and ruptures of the crucial ligaments,which are a typical results of overstraining through rotary movements,are prevented.

The sports shoe may be provided in this case with advantage with aspring-loaded release mechanism provided with a triggering level for thearc-shaped movement of the studs or of the other engaging elements.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Certain embodiments are illustrated in the attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows the sole of a sports shoe according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a section along line 2-2 through the sole of the shoeillustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a section along line 3-3 through the sole of the shoeillustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 shows a modified embodiment of a sports shoe in a representationsimilar to that of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 shows a section, corresponding to FIG. 2, through a sole with areturn spring;

FIG. 6 shows a horizontal section along line 4-4 in FIG. 4; and

FIG. 7 shows a further embodiment of a sports shoe in a representationsimilar to that of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 8 shows a further embodiment of a sports shoe in a representationsimilar to that of FIG. 7.

Identical elements, or elements corresponding one to the other, aredesignated by the same reference numerals in the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The sports shoe illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 comprises a sole 1 providedwith guide means consisting of four arc-shaped grooves 2 to 5 in theregion of the forefoot and two further arc-shaped grooves 6 and 7 in theregion of the heel, which grooves are arranged concentrically onerelative to the other and whose center points M, M₅, M₆ lie between theforefoot region and the region of the heel and partly coincide one withthe other. Each of the grooves 2 to 7 accommodates a slide 12 to 17,which serves as support and which is a little shorter than therespective groove. The foremost slide 12 carries a spike 9, each of theremaining slides 13 to 17 carries two spikes 9, the spikes being allarranged near the ends of the slides 13 to 17. The spikes 9 are receivedin threaded bushes 10 embedded in the slides 12 to 17, and are screwedinto the bush by a threaded extension 11.

The slides 12 to 17 are held in the grooves 2 to 7 displaceably, butundetachably, being connected with the grooves in the way of agroove-and-tongue connection, as illustrated in FIG. 2.

The slides 12 to 17 have a starting position and an end position in thegrooves 2 to 7. FIG. 1 shows the end position. In their startingposition, they can abut against the opposite end of the groove, incertain cases against a return spring provided before the end of thegrooves 2 to 7. The path of movement of the slides 12 to 17 betweentheir starting position and their end position defines the angle overwhich the sports shoe can follow the swinging movement of a person'sbody. In one embodiment, illustrated in FIG. 4, that path of movementmay be longer than in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1.

In the case of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, the grooves 2 to 7are not closed on both ends but only on one end. The grooves 2 to 7extend to the edge of the sole 1, namely in the region of the forefootto the ends on the inner side of the foot, and in the region of the heelto the edge on the outer side of the foot. In their starting position,the slides 12 to 15 end flush with the inner edge of the sole 1, whilethe two slides 16 and 17 in the region of the heel end flush with theouter edge of the heel in their starting position. When the bodyperforms a swinging movement, the slides 12 to 17 can slide a certainlength off the sole 1. They can then be returned to their startingposition by pushing them back using the other foot. Alternatively, theymay be returned by a return spring 19, an example of which isillustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6.

The upper surface of the slide 14 is provided with an arc-shaped groove18, which is closed toward the walking surface of the sole 1, but opentoward the base of the groove 4, and which receives a return spring 19in the form of a helical spring that has its two ends fixed on a steelcable 20, 21. A plate 22 on which the one end of the cable 21 is fixedis fastened to that end of the slide 14 that can move out of the groove4. A plate 23 to which one end of the other steel cable 20 is fixed isfastened to the opposite end of the groove 4. Given the fact that thereturn spring 19 does not extend over the full length of the slide 14,it is well protected from soiling. The return spring is tensioned whenthe slide 14 moves out of its groove 4 as a result of a swingingmovement performed by the user's body, and automatically returns theslide 14 into the groove 4 when the shoe is lifted by the user.

Another groove 26, extending in the slide 16 concentrically to thearc-shaped groove 18 and beside the latter, is open on its one end andclosed on its other end, thereby forming a stop 25 which finally abutsagainst a stop 24 when the slide 16 is pushed out of the groove 6, thestop 24 being formed by a nose projecting from the sole into the groove6.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7, a holder 27 is mountedrotatably on the bottom surface of the sole 1. This is achieved by athreaded bush embedded in the sole, in the region between the metatarsusand the heel, with a threaded bolt 28 fitted in the bush which securesthe holder 27 to the sole 1 with the aid of a washer 29 so that theholder can be rotated about the threaded bolt 28. The holder 27comprises two arms 27 a, 27 b extending in the longitudinal direction ofthe sole 1 and carrying cross pieces 30, 31, 32 and 33 on which spies 9are mounted. The forward end of the arm 27 b reaches below a bracket 34whose ends 35 are embedded in the sole 1. The forward end of the holder27 is guided between the sole 1 and the bracket 34. In the region of theheel, the two ends of the cross piece 33 engage recesses 36, which areprovided in the sole 1 and are covered by a covering plate 37 fastenedon the sole 1; in the illustration of FIG. 7, the covering plate hasbeen broken away in the area above one of the recesses 36, and has beencompletely removed from the other recess 36, in order to show the returnspring 19 located underneath which acts on that end of the cross piece33 that engages the recess 36. Irrespective of the direction in whichthe support 27 is rotated when a swinging movement of the user's bodyoccurs, one of the two return springs 19 will be compressed and willthus be capable of returning the holder 27 to its starting position whenthe foot is lifted.

The illustrated shoes are especially well suited for use as golf shoes.It is not necessary that both shoes of one pair of golf shoes bedesigned according to the invention. For a left-handed person it will besufficient if the right shoe is designed according to the invention,while for a right-handed person it will be sufficient if the left shoeis designed according to the invention.

The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 8 differs from the embodimentillustrated in FIG. 7 insofar that the arm 27 a of the holder 27, whichis seated for rotation about a bolt 28, transitions in the area of theheel to a plate-shaped support 38 and that the arm 27 b of the holder 27transitions to a plate-shaped support 39 located in the area of themetatarsus and the forefoot. The rear end of the rear support 38 and thefront end of the front support 39 each engage a guide slot providedbetween the heel of the sports shoe and a bracket 40 fastened on theheel, or in the area of the forefoot between the sole and a bracket 41fastened on the sole of the sports shoe. The two brackets 40 and 41 maybe formed from sheet metal or a plastic material, for example. Thebrackets 40 and 41 may, but need not, be provided with a stop limitingthe pivotal movement of the holder 27. The bolt 28, which is configuredas a threaded bolt, is surrounded by a strong spiral spring 42 which hasits inner end fixed on the bolt 28, or on a sleeve anchored on the soleand receiving the bolt, and has its outer end fixed on a mountingelement 43, which is provided on the holder 27 and is configured as apin directed against the sole, for example. The arrangement of thespiral spring is such that the holders are held in their centralposition, as shown in FIG. 8, when the spiral spring does not exert anyrestoring forces. When the holder moves out of its central position, inclockwise or counterclockwise direction, the spiral spring 42 produces arestoring force that tends to drive the holder back to its centralposition. The plate-shaped carriers 38 and 39 carry engaging elements 9,which may take the form of spikes if the sports shoe is to be used asgolf shoe, or which may take the form of studs if the sports shoe is afootball shoe.

1. Sports shoe, comprising: a shoe upper, a sole, at least one shapedsupport element rotatably mounted to said sole, a sole centerpoint, asole heel portion, downwardly projecting ground-engaging elementsattachable to said at least one shaped support element, a geometric axisline perpendicular to said sole and passing through the sole at a pointbetween said sole centerpoint and said sole heel portion, said at leastone shaped support element being rotatable with respect to said soleonly in a single plane and only about said geometric axis, at least oneground engaging element attachable to said at least one shaped supportelement ahead of said sole centerpoint in a forefoot portion of thesole, and at least one ground engaging element being attachable to saidat least one shaped support element behind said sole centerpoint in aheel portion of the sole.
 2. The sports shoe as defined in claim 1,wherein the ground-engaging elements can be moved between a startingposition and an end position.
 3. The sports shoe as defined in claim 1wherein the at least one shaped support element is guided and held by aguide to move along an arc.
 4. The sports shoe as defined in claim 3,wherein the guide is open on at least one end so that the respectivesupport can move a certain length out of its guide.
 5. The sports shoeas defined in claim 4, further comprising a stop which acts between thesupport and its guide and against which the support abuts in order tolimit the length by which the support can move out of the guide.
 6. Thesports shoe as defined in claim 3, wherein the support is shorter thanthe guide in which the support is received.
 7. The sports shoe asdefined in claim 6, wherein the guide coacts with a return spring thatis capable of returning the support to a starting position.
 8. Thesports shoe as defined in claim 7, wherein the return spring is arrangedin such a way that it embraces the center point of the arc of a circle.9. The sports shoe as defined in claim 3 wherein the at least one shapedsupport element is mounted on the shoe detachably.
 10. The sports shoeas defined in claim 9, wherein the at least one shaped support elementis mounted on the sole of the sports shoe at its center of rotationwhich coincides with the center point of an arc-shaped path of movementof the at least one shaped support element.
 11. The sports shoe asdefined in claim 9, wherein the at least one shaped support element isprovided on a holder which is detachably mounted on the sports shoe. 12.The sports shoe as defined in claim 11, wherein the holder comprises oneor more clamp by which it can be clamped onto the sports shoe.
 13. Thesports shoe as defined in claim 11, wherein the holder can be fastenedon the sports shoe by buckles.
 14. The sports shoe as defined in claim11, wherein the holder comprises a receiver shoe on which the sportsshoe can be placed and firmly locked by application of pressure fromabove.
 15. The sports shoe as defined in claim 3, wherein the at leastone shaped support element can be moved between a starting position andan end position.
 16. The sports shoe as defined in claim 3 wherein theat least one shaped support element is held undetachably by the guide.17. The sports shoe as defined in claim 3 wherein the support is aslide.
 18. The sports shoe as defined in claim 3 wherein the guide is anarc-shaped groove that matches the support.
 19. The sports shoe asdefined in claim 17, wherein the slide is shaped in the form of an arcof a circle.
 20. The sports shoe as defined in claim 3, wherein at leasttwo supports elements are provided, which are arranged to rotate aroundsaid geometric axis line and each of which is held and slidably guidedby a separate guide.
 21. The sports shoe as defined in claim 20, whereinat least one said support is arranged in the region of the forefoot, andat least one said support is arranged in the region of the heel.
 22. Thesports shoe as defined in claim 1 wherein the path of movement of the atleast one support element is limited.
 23. The sports shoe as defined inclaim 22, wherein, the support has a starting position in which it endsflush with the edge of the sale.
 24. The sports shoe as defined in claim23, wherein the support is a slide which is adapted to slide in theguide and which in its starting position ends flush with and closes theopening of the groove through which the support can be pushed out beyondthe edge of the sole.
 25. The sports shoe as defined in claim 3, whereina positive connection exists between the shaped support element and therespective guide, by means of which it is retained in or on the guideduring displacement along the guide.
 26. The sports shoe as defined inclaim 25, wherein the guide is undercut along longitudinal edges andthat the respective shaped support element engages the undercut.
 27. Thesports shoe as defined in claim 26, wherein the at least one shapedsupport element has a stepped design, matching the undercuts of theguide.
 28. The sports shoe as defined in claim 25, wherein the supportand the guide engage each other in the way of a groove-and-tongueconnection.
 29. The sports shoe as defined in claim 1 wherein the atleast one shaped support element is made from a plastic material. 30.The sports shoe as defined in claim 29, wherein the at least one shapedsupport element is made from a plastic material having the same orsimilar properties as the sole of the sports shoe.
 31. The sports shoeas defined in claim 1, further comprising a guide made from a plasticmaterial.
 32. The sports shoe as defined in claim 31 wherein the guidecomprises a plastic material having the same or similar properties asthe remaining sole of the sports shoe.
 33. The sports shoe as defined inclaim 1 wherein the ground-engaging elements, or the shaped supportelement coact with a return spring.
 34. The sports shoe as defined inclaim 33, wherein the return spring is arranged in such a way that itembraces said geometric axis.
 35. The sports shoe as defined in claim 1,wherein said geometric axis is located in front of the heel or heelportion of the sports shoe.
 36. The sports shoe as defined in claim 35,wherein said geometric axis is located between the heel or heel portionand a forefoot portion of the sports shoe.
 37. The sports shoe asdefined in claim 35, wherein said geometric axis is located between theheel or heel portion and a metatarsal portion of the sports shoe. 38.The sports shoe as defined in claim 35, wherein said geometric axis islocated at a point where the arch of the sole of the foot has itszenith.
 39. The sports shoe as defined in claim 1, comprising a shapedsupport element common for all ground-engaging elements outside the heelportion.
 40. The sports shoe as defined in claim 1, comprising a shapedsupport element common for all ground-engaging elements within the heelportion.
 41. The sports shoe as defined in claim 1, comprising a firstshaped support element common for all ground-engaging elements outsidethe heel portion and a second shaped support element common for allground-engaging elements within the heel portion and wherein both shapedsupport elements have a common pivot axis.
 42. The sports shoe asdefined in claim 41, wherein the first and second shaped supportelements are arranged on the common pivot axis.
 43. The sports shoe asdefined in claim 42, the first and second shaped support elements formsa single unit.
 44. A sports shoe according to claim 1, furthercomprising: at least one ground engaging mounting element which ismovable with respect to a shoe upper only in an arc having a center ofcurvature, some of the ground engaging elements and mounting elementsrotating ahead of and some of the ground engaging elements and mountingelements rotating behind a center point of the shoe.
 45. Sports shoeaccording to claim 44, further comprising at least a first and a secondground engaging mounting element, the first ground engaging mountingelement having a center of curvature different than the second groundengaging mounting element.
 46. A sports shoe according to claim 1, theshoe sole having three sections longitudinally, a front, a middle, and arear, each of the three sections having an approximately equallongitudinal extent, wherein the geometric axis is located in the middlesection.
 47. Sports shoe according to claim 1, further comprising ametatarsal portion of the sole, wherein the center of curvature islocated between the heel portion and the metatarsal portion.
 48. Sportsshoe according to claim 1, a portion of the at least one shaped supportelements being movable such that at least a portion of the movable atleast one shaped support elements extends beyond an outer edge of theshoe sole.
 49. Sports shoe according to claim 1, further comprising: atleast one ground-engaging element is a forefoot ground-engaging elementthat is arranged in the forefoot portion of the shoe and at least oneground-engaging element is a heel ground-engaging element that isarranged in the heel portion of the shoe, wherein the ground-engagingelements are guided to rotate about the geometric axis that is locatedbetween the forefoot portion of the shoe and the heel portion of theshoe, the ground-engaging elements are moving such that all forefootground-engaging elements are always on one side of the geometric axisand all heel ground-engaging elements are always on the other side ofthe geometric axis.
 50. Sports shoe according to claim 49, wherein allshaped support elements have the same geometrical axis of rotation. 51.Sports shoe according to claim 1, further comprising: shaped supportelements of which at least one support element is arranged in theforefoot portion of the shoe and at least one support element isarranged in the heel portion of the shoe, wherein the support elementsare guided to rotate along at least one geometric axis that is locatedbetween the forefoot portion of the shoe and the heel portion of theshoe such that all support elements are always on one side of the atleast one axis and all heel mounting elements are always on the otherside of the at least one axis.
 52. Sports shoe according to claim 51,wherein all shaped support elements have the same geometrical axis ofrotation.